Vacuum cleaner



Dec. 22, 1936;

F. RIiEBEL. JR..Y ET AL VACUUM CLEANER Filed Aug. 2, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l 22, 193 .Rl EBEL, JR. ET AL ,0

VACUUM CLEANER Fil ed Aug. 2, 1935. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IIYVENTORS mm Ravi BY clj/a-nuey. 3

Patented nee. 22, rate earner orrica VACUUM CLEANER Delaware Application Au st 19 Claims.

This invention relates to vacuum cleaners of the type which agitates an air cushionsuspended carpet by means of a high speed motor driven rotary agitator including flexibly mounted beaters, such as that covered in pending application Serial No. 752,270, filed November 9, 1934, of which the present application constitutes a continuation in part.

The object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved rotary agitator embodying a rotating spindle to which are attached axially extending strips of resilient material projecting beyond the periphery of the hub, the outer regions of said strips being enclosed in and supporting rounded channels of wear resisting material which afiord beating contact with a suspended floor covering such channels being unconnected with the spindle except by the resilient strips, whereby said beaters may freely flex circumferentially, upon contact with the floor covering so as to cushion the blow which is struck against the rug, and to reduce to a minimum, the loosening of the pile fibers of the rug.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a beater which is sturdy and durable, which will not break down under sustained service conditions, and which will not appreciably stretch or distend away from the spindle axis under the influence of centrifugal forceat varying speeds of rotation.

Another object is to provide means for securely mounting the beater in the spindle. Preferably, this means comprises a metal backing channel, into which the resilient strip is secured, preferably by bonding. Means are provided also for reinforcing said backing channel against collapsing under the pressure of set screws employed to holding it in the spindle.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the combination and construction and arrangement of the various parts there= of, whereby the objects contemplated are at tained, as more fully set forth in the accompanying specifications, pointed out in the claims, and

illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is a cross sectional view through one end of a vacuum; cleaner floor tool embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is a plan view oi the rotary agitator.

Fig. 3 is a partial cross section thereof.

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3, of a modified form of the invention.

' Fig. 5 is aview similar to Fig. 3 of a modified form of the invention.

1935, Serial No. 34,396

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 3, of a modified form of the invention.

Fig. 7 is a view similar to Fig. 3, of a modified form of the invention. A

Fig. 8 is a side elevation, partly in section, of the heaters of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a side elevation of the beater of Fig. 4.

Fig. 10 is a side elevation, partly in section, of a modified form of the beater.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of a vacuum cleaner embodying the invention. Fig. 12 is a side elevation of the same.

The invention is embodied in a vacuum cleaner comprising a hollow handle I, a bag 2, a fan 3 secured to the handle I, an electric motor 4 for driving the fan 3, a valve casing 5 formed integrally with the casing of the fan 3 'and communicating with the hollow handle I and floor tool tube 6 respectively, and a floor tool including a suction chamber ill supported on wheels l2.

A neck ll through the medium of a swivel joint 7 to the tube 8, and an auxiliary motor M drives the rotary agitator spindle by means of a belt 15, to agitate the carpet C either when lifted against the mouth of the suction chamber H] by the suction therein, or when lying flat against the floor. The latter condition will hold whenthe handle is lifted to tilt the suction chamber downwardly around the axis of the wheels H. The direction of rotation is indicated by the arrow ll.

Socketed in the spindle 13 are brush elements i8 and heaters i9.

In the form shown in Fig. 3, the beater comprises an elongated strip of soft rubber 20, a backing channel 2! in which one side of the strip 20 is bonded, and a heater channel 22, into which the other side of the rubber strip 20 is bonded. The backing channel M is preferably of black iron, to which rubber can be successfully bonded, and the beater channel 22 is preferably black iron, exteriorly plated with chromium, nickel, or other equivalent non-corrosive metal.

Since plating tends to deteriorate the rubber, in the preferred form of the invention, developed to eliminate such dimculty, the rubber strip is molded with an enlarged head 23, uncovered, and the beater channel 220 of stainless steel is secured thereto by crimping its skirt portions 24% into the rubber at the base of the head 23, placing the entire head under compression, and extruding pimples of rubber 25 into openings 26 in the side walls of the channel 23a. This prevents the channel from sliding endwise from connects the suction chamber the rubber strip and assists in retention against radial detachment.

Radial retention is secured by the preforming of the strip with a reduced neck region 45 forming the enlarged head 23 and thence furthehdi 'method of Fig. 4, is shown in Fig. '7 wherein the head 46 is connected to neck Ma by shoulders 46a that are almost perpendicular to the neck axis, in their preformed state, and wherein the edges 24a of the channel 226. are forced into the rubber forming the shoulders 46a, extruding the rubber of the head upwardly to fill a space initially occurring between the head dB and top of the channel. The beater channel, instead of being made of metal, may be of a hard, tough composition material 22, such as a phenolic condensation product (the one known commercially as Bakelite, for example) or pyroxylin, or hard rubbe "or rubber enamel. In the case of Bakelite, the channel may be secured by ce menting. Pyroxylin may be applied by dipping.

The same, is true of enamel. Hard rubber may 7 be vulcanized in place.

The form shown in Fig. 5 embodies an under channel 22b of black iron or other metal which can be bonded successfully to the rubber, so bonded, and an outer channel 60 of stainless steel, slid endwise over the under channel 22b,

and'positioned by the engagement of its edges under flanges 'on the channel 2%.

In the preferred forms of the invention, as exemplified in Figs. 4 and I, theexposed neck region 45, 55a. serves as the locus of hinging action as the heater is deflected circumferentially. In the modification of Fig. 6, the skirt portions 24 of the beater channel slightly into the spindle l3, and'may project slightly into the socket 21, as shown, completely-concealing the sidefaces of they rubber. Adequate flexibility in this form is secured by leaving the neck region of the rubber detached from the beater so that opposite sides of the neck region may freely stretch and compress respectively.

Covering the side'faces of the neck protects them against deterioration.

' The backing channel 2| is secured in a socket 21 in the spindle I3 by means of set screws 28 threaded through lugs 29 in the spindle and engaging a side of the channel. In order to prevent the channel collapsing under the pressure strip secured in the socket 21 and retained by' pins 33 extending through'holes molded in the rubber, and threaded through the lugs 29 as shown in Fig. 6. Or the spindle may be. formed as a hollow shell l3w and provided with longitudinal slots into-which the rubber shank 32a aoeaete is slid endwise. Beads 34 on the shank 32a, secure the beater against radial movement.

In the operation of the device, theblow of carpet contact causes the channel to recede,

r'nainlyin a circumferential direction, with a certain amount of radial depression also. This cushions the blow that is struck, and decreases the injury to the pile of the carpet that would be caused if the beater were rigidly mounted.

We claim as our invention: 1. A suction cleaner beater element for demountable attachment to a rotatable spindle,

comprising an elongated strip of rubber, a metal backing channel embracing and secured to one edge region of the strip, parallel to the longi-- 2. A beater element for attachment to a rotatable spindle of a vacuum cleaner agitator comprising-a strip of resilient material, a metallic backing channel embracing and secured to one edge region of said strip and adapted to be detachably secured in a socket in said spindle, and a lug upstruck from a wall of said channel and bridging the space between the side walls thereof, said lug adapted to withstand the pressure of a set screw opposite the lug bearing against one of said side walls for securing the beater element in said socket. Y

3. In a suction cleaner, a suction head having a downwardly facing mouth, means forsupporting said head for travelling over a rug with said mouth spaced thereabove, suction producing means for lifting a section of the rug into contact with said mouth and for drawing acurrent of cleaning air over said section, and a rotary agitator in said head, comprising a spindle, and a beater element attached to said spindle, comprising a smooth faced carpet contacting bar' of wear resisting material spaced from the periphery of the spindle and parallel to the axis of rotation thereof, and a body of resilient material connecting said bar to the spind1e,'said body being of such cross sectional areaand dimensions, and of such resiliency, as to hold said bar in a substantially uniform path of rotation at all speeds, and yet to allow circumferential deflection of the bar under carpet impact.

4. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotatable spindle, and a heater oomprising'an elongated strip of soft rubber, one longitudinal edge region of which is attached to said spindle, and a beater channel of smooth surfaced metal embracing and secured to the opposite edge region of the strip, parallel to its longitudinal axis, said channel being adapted to make contact with a carpet being cleaned, and beingseparated from the spindle by uncovered areas on both sides of the strip whereby the latter may freely flex relative to the spindle.

5. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotatable spindle, and a beater comprising an elongated strip of resilient materiahone longitudinal edge region of which is attached to said spindle, and a beater channel of smooth surfaced metal embracing and secured to the opposite edge region of the strip, parallel to its longitudinal axis, said channel being adapted to make contact with a carpet being cleaned, and being separated from the spindle by uncovered areas on both sides of the strip whereby the latter may freely flex relative to the spindle.

6. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotatable spindle,

and a beater comprising an elongated strip of soft rubber, one longitudinal edge region of which is attached to said spindle, and a'beater channel of smooth surfaced metal embracing and secured to the opposite edge region of the strip, parallel to its longitudinal axis, said channel being adapted to make contact witha carpet being cleaned.

7. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotatable spindle, and a beater comprising an elongated strip of resilient material, one longitudinal edge region of which is attached to said spindle, and a beater channel of smooth surfaced metal embracing and secured to the opposite edge region of the strip, parallel to its longitudinal axis, said channel being adapted to make contact with a carpet being cleaned.

8. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotatable spindle, and a beater comprising an elongated strip of soft rubber, one longitudinal edge region of which is attached to said spindle, and a beater channel of smooth surfaced hard, tough, wear resisting material embracing and secured to the opposite edge region of the strip, parallel to its longitudinal axis, said channel being adapted to make contact with a carpet being cleaned, and being separated from the spindle by uncovered areas on both sides of the strip whereby the latter may freely flex relative to the spindle.

9. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotatable spindle,

- and a heater comprising an elongated strip of readily flexing, resilient material one longitudinal edge region of which is attached to said spindle, and a heater channel of smooth surfaced hard, tough, wear resisting material embracing and secured to the opposite edge region of the strip,

. parallel to its longitudinal axis, said channel being adapted to make contact with a carpet being cleaned.

10. In a-vacuum cleaner, a rotatable spindle, and a heater comprising an elongated strip of readily compressible resilient material one longitudinal edge region of which is secured to said spindle, and a heater channel of smooth surfaced stainless steel embracing the opposite longitudinal edge region of said strip, its side walls engaging the intermediate region of the strip under pressure and displacing portions of said region inwardly of the normal contour thereof, said channel adapted to make contact with a carpet being cleaned, and said strip allowing said channelto recede circumferentially upon carpet contact so as to cushion said contact.

11. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotatable spindle, and a beater comprising an elongated strip of readily compressible resilient material one longitudinal edge region of which is secured to said spindle, and a beater channel of smooth surfaced stainless steel embracing the opposite longitudinal edge region of said strip, said channel having an aperture, and its side walls engaging the intermediate region of the strip under pressure and displacing portions of said region inwardly of the normal contour thereof'and extruding a portion of said strip into said aperture'to securely retain the channel against either radial or endwise removal, said channel adapted to contact a carpet being cleaned and said strip allowing the channel to recede circumferentiallyunder carpet contact so as to cushion said contact.

12. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotatable spindle, and a beater comprising an elongated strip of soft rubber, one longitudinal edge region of which is attached to said spindle, and a beater channel of smooth surfaced metal embracing and bonded to the opposite edge region of the strip, parallel to its longitudinal axis, said channel being adapted to make contact with a carpet being cleaned.

13. A beater element for use in connection with the rotatable agitator spindle of a vacuum cleaner, comprising an elongated strip of soft rubber having means to attach one longitudinal edge region thereof to the spindle, and a beater channel of smooth surfaced metal embracing and secured to the opposite edge region of the strip, parallel to its longitudinal axis, said channel being adapted to make contact with a carpet being cleaned, and being separated from the spindle by uncovered areas on both sides of the strip whereby the latter may freely flex relative to the spindle.

14. In a vacuum cleaner, a motor driven rotary agitator comprising a spindle and a beater secured thereto and projecting radially therefrom, said beater comprising a strip of readily flexing resilient material and a carpet contacting tip of wear resisting material having and capable of maintaining under operating conditions, a smooth, polished contacting face, positioned to engage the carpet when the beater is in carpet contacting position, said tip being substantially coextensive longitudinally with said strip and separated from the spindle by an exposed region of said material forming a flexing neck allowing the beater to recede circumferentially under the impact of carpet contact, and to cushion the blow thereby inflicted.

15. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotatable spindle, and a heater comprising an elongated strip of readily flexing resilient material, one longitudinal edge region of which is attached to said spindle, anda carpet contacting tip of wear resisting material having and capable of maintaining under operating conditions, a smooth polished contacting face, rigidly attached to said strip of resilient material so as to have wiping impact against a carpet, said tip being held in a substantially uniform path of rotation at all speeds, and yet allowed to freely recede circumferentially under carpet impact, solely as a result of the flexibility of said strip of resilient material.

16. In a vacuum cleaner, a rotatable spindle, and a heater comprising an elongated beater channel of smooth surfaced, hard, tough, wearresisting material spaced from the periphery of the spindle, and a body of readily flexing resilient material having an inner region attached to said spindle and having an outer region embraced by and secured to said channel. I

17. A beater element for use in connection with the rotatable agitator spindle of a vacuum cleaner, comprising an elongated strip of soft resilient material having means to attach one longitudinal edge region thereof to the spindle, and a heater channel of smooth surfaced wear resisting mate'- rial embracing and secured to the opposite edge region of the strip, parallel to its longitudinal axis, said'channel b'eing adapted to make contact with a carpet being cleaned, and being separated from the spindle by uncovered areas on both sides of the strip whereby the latter may freely flex relative to the spindle.

18. A suction cleaner beater element for demountable attachment to a rotatable spindle comprising an elongated strip of readilyflexing resilient material, a backing channel embracing and secured to one edge region of the strip, parallel to, the longitudinal axis thereof, and adapted to be detachably atached to said spindle, and a 10 silient material, a backing channel embracing and secured to one edge region of the strip,

parallel to the longitudinal. axis thereof, and

adapted to be detachably attached to said spindle, and a carpet contacting tip of wear resisting material having and capable of maintaining under operating conditions, a smooth polished contacting face attached to the other edge of said strip of resilient material. t

- FREDERICK REL, Ja.

DEWEY M. DOW. 

